Research & Commentary

The Tax Policy Center has released new distributional estimates of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to reflect the bill as passed by the Committee on Ways and Means of the US House of Representatives on November 9, 2017. The changes from the bill as originally introduced have a relatively minor effect...

Current discussions about federal tax reform include a number of proposals that could impact the states. These items may broaden the tax base and increase state revenue, or put pressure on states to cut taxes and reduce revenue, or even create administrative challenges for states. In this...

Policy makers have long sought to boost households’ retirement saving through tax incentives. Little is known, however, about how savers’ contributions are linked across different types of tax-preferred accounts. Previous research has concluded that workers who become eligible for a 401(k) plan...

This brief discusses how savers’ contributions are linked across different types of tax-preferred accounts. Previous research has concluded that workers who become eligible for a 401(k) plan also see stronger growth in IRA balances. However, the mechanism for this increase – contributions, asset...

This study examines the effect of alcohol excise taxes on alcohol- related fatal traffic crashes. In 2015, 29.3 percent of the 35,092 traffic fatalities in the United States involved someone driving under the influence of alcohol. Raising federal or state excise taxes on alcoholic beverages...

This brief documents how the US tax system treats the most common forms of equity compensation, including stock, restricted stock units, and stock options. In most cases, these forms of equity compensation are taxed just like cash wages, salaries, and bonuses. Employees pay ordinary income taxes...

Tracy Gordon, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute and the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, spoke before the New Democrat Coalition 21st Century Task Force on October 4, 2017. She shared four things that Congress may want to keep in mind when considering changes to infrastructure policy....

Entrepreneurs create successful enterprises that generate substantial value through the innovations they introduce. They typically must wait many years before their firms generate net operating profits. The tax system favors entrepreneurial activity by allowing deferral of tax on the accrual of...